(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to nail clippers particularly the type which retains nail clippings during the process of clipping.
(ii) Description of Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,312 issued Feb. 16, 1965 to C. H. Fink under the title of GUARD FOR NAIL CLIPPER. Mr. Fink's invention is specifically directed toward a novel guard mountable on conventional nail clippers so to assist in the collection of cut nails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,031 issued Sep. 30, 1986 to Steve Y. Chen. A nail clipper comprising a stationary base having structure defining a nail depository, a rear base end and forward base end that terminates into a base jaw having a convexed base cutting edge. A pair of a parallel tapering side walls are integrally bound to the stationary base. Each of the side walls include a back wall end and a front wall end having a top formed with a side wall recess seat. A resilient cover plate has a rear cover end bound to the rear base end and forward cover end that terminates into a cover jaw. The cover jaw includes a convexed cover cutting edge that is capable of engaging the base cutting edge when the resilient cover plate is depressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,011 issued Feb. 3, 1987 to William Gamble. The invention contemplates a single-piece clipping retainer having snap-action assembly to a conventional nail clipper, of the variety in which elongate jaw members are connected at one end and diverge toward their other end. The retainer comprises a mounted end and an actuable end, with an integrally formed hinge connection there between. The actuable end has side panels to close the sides of the space between jaw members when releasably retained in its up position when the actuable end is released and downwardly hinged, the open sides of the space between the jaw members is exposed for the purpose of disposing the clipping.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,136 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Miller and Brown. A finger nail clipper pouch for the use with a key ring or like is disclosed as including an elongated one-piece receptacle formed of resilient and flexible material. The receptacle includes an interior compartment generally configured to the shape of the nail clipper, one end of the receptacle being open for the entry and removal of the nail clipper. The closed end is attached to the key ring while the open end has a restricted throat opening that is capable of being resiliently enlarged when the receptacle is temporarily deformed by squeezing thereof to facilitate removal of the nail clipper from the receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,771 issued Mar. 5, 1991 to Craig Williams. A nail clipper retainer is provided and consists of a mechanism for catching nail clippings and a structure for slideably attaching the catching mechanism to a body of a nail clipper. When the catching mechanism is in a forward position on the clipper it will catch the clipping. When the catching mechanism is in a rearward position on the clipper it will allow the clippings to be emptied therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,146 issued Jul. 21, 1992 to Kent Leininger. A finger/toe nail clipper receptacle is disclosed which receives a finger/toe nail clipper and contains the clippings. This Receptacle has a rear sleeve which receives a rear portion of the nail clipper and a front shield that receives the front portion of the clipper for containing the clippings. The front shield is attached to the rear sleeve by a live hinge which allows the front shield to be pulled away from the front portion of the clipper pivoting about the hinge, thereby releasing the clippings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,544 issued Mar. 23, 1993 to Vince Campagna. A hollow nail catcher case, the case is preferably constructed of thin synthetic plastic material. It is constructed as a hollow truncated pyramid for sliding over the nail clipper. It is claimed that the case could be universally usable in many different kinds of nail clippers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,160 issued Nov. 16, 1993 to Castagna. A nail clipper with catcher comprises a bottom container, a resilient top plate having connection at a rear end of the container to urge the top plate away from the container, the container having an upturned cutting edge at a front end of the container, the plate having a downturned cutting edge opposite to the upturned cutting edge, and a lever having a bent end portion with a shaft which engages a post mounted on the container for moving the plate up and down to clip nails, which clipping fall into the container. The shaft also forms a hole in the bent portion of the lever. A protrusim is provided on each side of the opening in the top plate. The lever is rotatable into three position. In a closed position, the two cutting edges are touching so the clipping container is closed, in the clipping position, the cutting edges are spaced form each other sufficient distance to allow nails in to be clipped. In the emptying position, a relatively large spacing between the two cutting edges is provided allowing clipping to be emptied.